Malcolm Turnbull's White House visit elevated to status not seen since John Howard

By David Wroe

7 February 2018 — 5:06pm

Malcolm Turnbull’s Washington trip will be highest-level visit by an Australian leader in more than a decade, in a signal the United States is eager to keep its key allies such as Australia close.

Fairfax Media has been told Mr Turnbull’s visit later this month will include lunch with President Donald Trump at the White House and will be badged as an “official” visit - the first at such level since John Howard met with George W. Bush in 2006.

The status of the 2018 trip stands in contrast to early 2017, when details of a fiery phone call between the pair were leaked to the media.

Mr Turnbull is also expected to meet with top US defence and intelligence officials, including Defence Secretary James Mattis and the Director of National Intelligence, Dan Coats.

Defence and security will be a central focus of the trip from February 21 to 24. One leading expert, Ashley Townshend from the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, said Mr Turnbull would likely be seeking a clearer understanding of the implications of Washington’s recent defence and national security strategy papers.

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Together, these papers made it clear the US regards China as a strategic competitor rather than a country that will necessarily become a trustworthy and benign player within the existing set of international rules.

“One of the main things the PM will be seeking in Washington is a detailed understanding of the national defence strategy and its implications for Australia,” Mr Townshend said.

“The key issue in the Australia-US alliance is what role Australia is willing and able to play as the US charts a competitive strategy in the Indo-Pacific. This will require Australians in and out of government to take stock of our position between the US and China in a way that we haven’t had to until now.”

It is widely expected that the US will announce the appointment of hawkish US Pacific commander Admiral Harry Harris as the next ambassador to Canberra. His strong views on China, which include recent remarks that “they are the owner of the trust deficit” in Asia, mean his appointment is likely to provoke Beijing’s condemnation.

On Admiral Harris’ expected nomination to the ambassadorship, Mr Townshend said he was “very much the ambassador for these times” in that he specialised in Indo-Pacific security, but his known hawkishness could backfire if not properly managed.

“He’s been at the forefront of US efforts to increase the region's response to Chinese assertiveness, particularly in the maritime domain,” he said.

“Canberra will need to fight the narrative that any new or more robust measures it takes against China in maritime Asia are the product of Harris’ influence, rather than that of independent Australian deliberations."

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull with United States of America President Donald Trump at the ASEAN summit in Manila, Philippines in November.

Photo: Fairfax Media

The US’s most senior military figure, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Joseph Dunford, has been in Australia in recent days for talks with Australian Defence chief Mark Binskin. This included a visit to Darwin where the US has marines stationed along with high-end military hardware.

Fairfax Media understands Mr Turnbull will be given special treatment in Washington, including symbolic gestures to underscore the strength of the alliance. There was discussion about his addressing a joint session of the Congress but the idea was abandoned because the timing of the visit could not be made to coincide with a sitting of the legislature.

He will attend a cyber security meeting at the prestigious think tank, the Centre for Strategic and International studies.

He is expected also to discuss the economy and trade with Mr Trump. The President recently opened the door a crack to the US joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact despite previously withdrawing. This is expected to be a topic of conversation.

State premiers aside from those of South Australia and Tasmania - who are fighting election campaigns - will also visit the US to attend the annual meeting of the National Governors’ Association. Mr Turnbull will also address the meeting.